Minnesota vs. Green Bay March Madness Preview: How to Watch, Prediction

It has been nearly 3,000 days since Gophers women's basketball last played in an NCAA Tournament game. That streak will end this evening when No. 4 seed Minnesota hosts No. 13 seed Green Bay at Williams Arena around 5 p.m. CT. Here's what you need to know.

How to watch

Time: ~ 5 pm.
TV: ESPNU

No. 5 seed Ole Miss and No. 12 Gonzaga are scheduled to tip off around 2:30 p.m. at Williams Arena on Friday. Like any NCAA Tournament game, if that game goes long, it will impact the start time of Minnesota-Green Bay. The game will be broadcast nationally on ESPNU.

Gophers WBB opens as (-22.5) point betting favorites for their NCAA Tournament opener against Green Bay on Friday night.

The Phoenix are 25-8 this season with a notable win over Kansas State.

Let's hear some early predictions. 👇👇👇 pic.twitter.com/vx3dW2Rt1n
— Tony Liebert (@TonyLiebert) March 16, 2026

Preview

The Phoenix have been one of the most consistent mid-major programs this season with a 25-8 overall record. They tested themselves in the nonconference with notable games against Wisconsin, Kansas State, NC State, Richmond and Washington. They beat Kansas State and lost to Wisconsin and Washington by single digits, so they're battle-tested.

Green Bay is led by head coach Kayla Karius, who was Dawn Plitzuweit's replacement at South Dakota when she left for West Virginia after the 2021-22 season. Karius was also on Plitzuweit's staff as an assistant coach at South Dakota from 2016 to 2018. There is plenty of familiarity between both coaching staffs.

Green Bay has four players on its roster from Minnesota. Most notably, leading scorer Jenna Guyer is from Circle Pines. She has been a four-year player with the Phoenix, and she's averaging 15.1 points, 6.3 rebounds and 1.6 assists per game this season, as a 6-foot-2 post player. They're a veteran roster with plenty of experience.

Prediction

Minnesota has remained a significant 22.5-point betting favorite throughout the week for its opening round game against Green Bay on Friday night at Williams Arena. The Phoenix had a regular-season win over Kansas State at home, along with close four-point losses at Wisconsin and five-point losses at Washington. The oddsmakers still expect the Gophers to roll.

The Gophers were 13-3 at home in the regular season. Their three losses were to Maryland, UCLA and Michigan State. Their seven nonconference wins at the Barn came by an average of 45.7 points per game, yes, you read that right. I expect a comfortable win over Green Bay.

Score: Minnesota 88, Green Bay 65

Team odds refresh periodically and are subject to change. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-GAMBLER.